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Ten Things of Thankful #4

[I wonder how many repeats of things from Friday’s 7 Quick Takes I can get away with re-posting here. Given it’s an hour since I wrote that post, cos that kind of trippy thing happens around midnight – one day becomes the next very rapidly, and when one hosts a blog hop with co-hosts who are WAY ahead of the game, one has to attempt some semblance of organisation and preparedness. One may also have to stop referring to oneself as ‘one’. Imminently.]

Although, having squandered one of my Quick Takes talking about the timing, and one of them on my shiny new social media buttons (actually, I don’t think that one was squandered – I do *love* the shiny new social media buttons) I’ve probably got more than enough actual stuff to fill up the Ten Things pretty rapidly. Let’s see. I already know that #10’s an awesome one; just #1-#9 to go…1. That Husby is not in the slightest bit squeamish (just as well, given all the meds he has to inject), and is very quick off the mark, so tonight when, three bites into a delicious plate of Moroccan-style lamb, potato wedges and salad (all homemade, I hasten to add), a weird and very nasty stabbing pain in the roof of my mouth and a rapid (but careful) explore with my tongue gave me to know that there was something there – something that had pierced into my skin, I was able to put down the dinner, mumble to Husby “I need you in the bedroom, now – get the tweezers”, he didn’t question, he just acted, and within a short time, he’d pulled a tiny, stabby piece of fzkana* out of my soft palate. Oh the blessed relief!

*I don’t know what a fzkana is – I just made it up, and I don’t know WHAT got pulled out of my mouth, but the word is as uncomfortable to say as the entire experience was to undergo.

2. That my Explorer Friend and I found our way back this time without any damage to person or property. We got lost again, cos that’s how we roll. And we burned a ton of calories doing it. And it was beautiful – look! (This is why I need a smartphone.)

3. I’m in two minds about whether biltong deserves a place here. It totally, 100% does if taken on face value (especially the gorgeous chilli biltong provided by the new South African ‘Biltong and Barbies’ shop in town, but (vegetarians, skip to the next Thing here, please – consider this adequate warning) there are moments when I end up over-thinking it and wondering whether the drying process really kills off any beef-worm cysts, or how much like meaty chewing gum the bits my Dad calls ‘knicker elastic’ are (and that’s what they’re called in cooked meat – I guess it’s some kind of intramuscular connective sinew) when you find one at the end of the biltong stick. On the one hand, yes, it’s sun-dried cow, and on the other hand it’s utterly delicious. For now I’m going firmly with ‘Tastes Good’.

4. I’m hugely, amazingly thankful to Kristi, of Finding Ninee, who let me be a part of her initiative, Our Land, this week. She’s collecting stories from those who are finding that the place they need to live is a world of empathy, wonder and compassion, and they write to show how that can be done. I wrote primarily about the ‘How to’ and the ‘How not to’ of treating a person who you’ve heard has been diagnosed as infertile. It’s a topic close to my heart (as Husby and I are. Infertile, that is) and since that diagnosis it’s been on my heart to in some way reach out and share my story and connect with others who have similar stories, as well as help the demystificaion of the subject and lift the taboo a little from around it.

5. I am so thankful that after a week of weird sleeping patterns, a cold and a late-night stomach ache, I can go to bed tonight (well, this morning – I’m once again in the wee hours) and have a lie-in. I’ll say this for infertility – there are a few minor perks (not that I wouldn’t swap them in a second) and I’ll take every ounce of pleasure/bonus/advantage I can get in this crappy ride…

6. I had a wonderful time on Wednesday, when a group of us got together at a friend’s house to celebrate the official, final day of the course we’ve been on for the last two years. The weather held and even became warm and sunshiney and we BBQ’d like it was going out of style. Which it has been, given that English summers seem to be on a ‘wetter’ trend. We spent the evening covered in smoke, burger grease and great conversation. It was idyllic, peaceful and what summer and being a student are *meant* to be about.

7. I had a very mysterious phonecall (that’s a lie – I made a very mysterious phonecall as it was in response to a missed call, but I’m not really sure on the validity of making the mysterious phonecall – I rather think that mystery is something done to one, rather than initiated by oneself (and we’re back at ‘one’) And now I’ve overthunk this, I’ll side-step and carry on, but do let me know what you think if you’ve time – there’s a point here somewhere to be pinned down and hashed out) with WonderAunty, who (in cahoots with Husby and Mum) is organising a ‘Surprise day’ for my birthday. Cos it’s gonna be my 30th. Yuk. Makes me think of all the things I was ‘meant’ to have accomplished by now. But the fact that there’s going to be a surprise day (you know it’s going to be good when you’re explicitly asked “Do you trust me enough to let me just arrange things?”) will help considerably.

8. I’m thankful that in addition to my nice, new, shiny, SIGNED AND PERSONALISED copy of The Bone Collector, Husby has Jeffrey Deaver’s latest release, and he’ll let me read it after he’s done with it. YAY for new books, and YAY for Mr Deaver being such a gentleman and an excellent writer.

9. I’m thankful to Janine, and to my CinemaFriend, who have both helped me on Twitter when I’ve sent them near-incomprehensible tweets asking what on earth to do (sometimes with the simplest of things!) and who have both been very gracious. Janine’s even offered ongoing help, should I need it (I will). However, I am pleased to report (for any anti-Twits out there) that the good bits of Twitter are a barrel of laughs and I’m having such fun over there 😉

********DRUMROLL********DRUMROLL*******DRUMROLL*******DRUMROLL*******

The awesome #10 I mentioned earlier.

Regular readers (and friends in Real Life) will know of the existence of WonderAunty, but what you may not know is that she’s an absolutely amazing, hilarious poet (and an absolutely amazing person to boot). Having completed my course (Ornamental fish management) she presented (as in, read out, brilliantly) this poem to me, and has generously agreed to having it featured as one of my Ten Things of Thankful. So with no further ado, I present, WonderAunty.

Fins of tankfulness for our koi dizzi-fishi-lahling

with punny best fishes as she fin-ishes her coarse with flying-fish-colours

ACK Kudos to your hubs! I would have been like… “OMN we need to get you to the hospital STAT!” and then fainted.

I wonder what the heck it could have been. There was no bleeding? That creeps me out (the unknown… not the lack of bleeding).

Looks like you had a great time exploring with your friend. I miss doing that. I need a random adventuring buddy. One that can double as my body guard to protect me from badgers and other vicious wildlife! Getting lost isn't so bad as long as someone is with you 🙂

Always love a good BBQ! Now that summer is in full swing I've been going to a few and have a few more lined up! Spring/Summer birthdays definitely seem to inspire BBQing; been to 3 already.

Speaking of Bdays… I hope your secret special day is awesome! I've never received one of those to my recollection. I'm sure it is going to be great! The 30's aren't so bad (yet)…

Maybe I shared the wrong Our Land posting (not that there is a “wrong” one to share). Is there a main specific one to introduce people to the series? Maybe I did do that… Hmm.

That was a great poem! Very fun and original. It would take me ages to come up with something remotely a fraction of its genius. Hooray for WonderAunty!

Awesome list today! Glad your husband was able to perform surgery to remove the fzkana in your mouth. My husband would have been able to do the same thing for me. I would have sent him to the emergency room instead.

30? You're just a baby duck!

Your hiking destination is lovely! WHERE ARE THE BIG UGLY SNAKES? Oh, yes, that's right. With me. Don't forget to come get them!

You have not been exaggerating at all about WonderAuntie – brilliant! I love it! I cracked up at the word fzkana and give huge props to husby for not questioning at all that you needed him in the bedroom with tweezers! I also laughed at your mysterious phone call – that it was a lie and it was you actually calling a number from a missed call – ah to mystery! I'm thankful that you allowed me to share your awesome words in Our Land! And YAY to Twitter! It's a weird weird place but also full of really cool people. There's something freeing about communicating in 140 characters or less. Or maybe I'm just lazy. Awesome list, Lizzi and this hop is such a brilliant idea! Love it. Thank you for allowing me to participate!

Thank you Natalia – it's great to see you here with us again 🙂 Looking forward to hopping over to yours in a moment.

I was pretty proud of 'fzkana' until I realised that in my first edition of the blog (which was live for about 20 hours before I was told this, and then rectified it) that I omitted to mention I made the word up, and people just thought I was a bit of a dunce for not really knowing what it meant! Don't tell Clark (see top comments) that I also had to re-edit!

It was very sore, but fortunately seems to have healed quickly and is now barely even tender 🙂

I so love your writing! it flows so nicely! Great list this week (as always) I'm glad you are ok after you were able to get that piece off fzkana (loved the made up word) out of your mouth! bet you are sore though.

The 30's are great years… wait and see! Instead of being sad about what you haven't accomplished, look at all that you have, and the many blessings you have to count each week!! Life seldom takes us where we plan to go, but we often end up arriving at someplace even better, it's the journey that's exciting! 🙂

I did wonder, and then I thought 'Naaaah – tastes good'. I think it must've been a bit of herb stem or something, as the closest thing it looked like was the spiky bit inside a tomato, but the recipe had no tomatoes in it.

I once had a biscuit with plastic in it, but that was part of a dessert in a restaurant and it was swiftly returned.

it's the start of another weekend, (which still involves work), but I really like seeing this idea (2 day hop) catch on… while I have not been in the blogosphere a real long time, I have been around long enough to know that weekends tend to be, 'hello?? anyone out there' time for most blogs.

you are demonstrating the coolest of personal attributes, i.e. doing what you think is a good idea, regardless of what 'everyone knows'

Ow! That hurts a lot too. I've done that. And the thing where you slip with a toothbrush – that's AGONY!

It was an awesome BBQ and I kinda envy the Americans their cast-iron excuse for an evening of it on Thursday (not that one should really need an excuse, but with the weather here, we could do with something similar)

I've had a run of good days – maybe there is some small element of balance in life after all 🙂 Having loads to be thankful for is a great thing, and at the moment it's easy – the exercise (and challenge) comes in the dark days when you feel there's little good in life – THEN the Ten Things come into their own.

I am so sorry, that bit in your mouth must have hurt like the dickens, but poor Husby. How often does the man get to hear, “I need you in the bedroom, now!” Only to find he is going to be performing surgery on the roof of your mouth. True love, I tell you. True. Love.Last time I'm going to say it, then I'll let it go. BAH! Twitter! :p (Is that the emoticon for me sticking my tongue out?)Lastly, oh my word, you have not exaggerated about WonderAunty! I know she reads these, so I'm just going to tell her. WonderAunty, you are no common catfish! Your poem is fantastic. It's clear you love your niece to pieces, and she you. Hope to hear from you more often!I'm off to finish my thankful list.

Seriously, I don't know how you do it, but I am in awe you wrote of all the positive an hour or so ago and here you are back with more. But I love it and you really do have a lot to be thankful for, which in my book is a great thing. By the way, I am just happy I can help if you need with Twitter and so glad you are now on there!! And once again you know I will be linking it up in the morning with you as always!! 🙂